Firefighter Dustin Hudson led smoke training for the Olney Volunteer Fire Department that included multiple City of Olney departments. Here, Hudson gives safety instructions and the agenda for the day’s activities on May 30. Photo by Will Sadler
OVFD firefighter Len Bernhardt led the training on how to breach a roof and explained the importance of communication and safety with the teams in the house. Photo by Will Sadler
A team of Olney and Megargel Volunteer Firefighters breach the smoke-filled house. Firefighters were greeted with choking smoke and visibility reduced to one foot in some parts of the structure. The firefighters’ ability to use oxygen masks and fire-res
Firefighters review breaching and safety after the first teams had a run-through. Photo by Will Sadler
Veteran OVFD Captain Jason Pack gave a tour of the home before the training began. Pack said once a house is filled with smoke, sometimes the only way to find their way out is by following the fire hose back out the house. Photo by Will Sadler
Part of the smoke training day included finding and rescuing a victim from a structure filled with smoke - that’s a lot harder than it sounds when you can’t see farther than one foot.

Firefighters Prep for Disaster Season

Thu, 06/11/2026 - 12:00am
By: 
Will Sadler Advertising@olneyenterprise.com

The Olney Volunteer Fire Department and the Megargel Volunteer Fire Department conducted training exercises at an abandoned house on North Avenue B on Saturday, May 30 to prepare firefighters for battling fires in smoke-filled structures.

Firefighter-trainer Dustin Hudson, who is also the proprietor of Hudson’s on Main, conducted the smoke training. In a Facebook post ahead of the training, the OVFD warned Olney citizens not to worry about the copi- have not recently issued fire danger alerts for the North Texas Plains, due to recent rainfall.

ous amount of smoke rising from the building. Firefighters spent the day reviewing procedures for breaching a roof, entering a smoke-filled building, finding victims, as well as the proper use of equipment.

The Texas A & M Forestry Service and the National Weather Service

Photo by Will Sadler

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